There is more to Kayla Williams than just her pretty face.

The 17-year-old was named valedictorian at her high school. She’s currently enrolled at Bermuda College where she is working towards her dream of becoming an executive chef and owning her own restaurant.

Miss Williams is just one of six young women vying for the title of Miss Bermuda 2015.

The teenager said she was initially hesitant about entering the competition.

“I actually don’t like the idea of competing with others,” she said. “But over time, through much love and support from my family, I decided it would be a great opportunity for me to humbly showcase my positive attributes.”

Miss Williams learned as a child the benefits of hard work and giving back.

She’s been a homework club tutor, handed out soup to needy families, tagged for charities and served at seniors’ tea events.

“Currently, I work with a junior youth group to assist with fostering the spiritual growth of young people,” she said. “The role has helped me to recognise my capacity as a role model and the need to be an example by befriending young people and encouraging them. The programme aims to help them find their purpose insofar as how they can contribute to their community. The great thing is it not only benefits them, but also myself.”

Miss Williams is hoping the pageant process will help her gain more confidence, build strong relationships with her fellow contestants and improve her public speaking ability.

“I believe this competition will help me to view myself in a better light and recognise my real potential, that I can achieve all the different goals that I envision for myself,” she said.

“I’m hoping this experience will assist me in becoming an independent, strong woman by building great relationships with other women who think along the same lines as I do. I also think it will provide me with the opportunity to adapt to various different social settings that come my way.”

Miss Williams rose to the rank of senior dance company member with In Motion School of Dance. It was a long-time dream of hers, she said.

She also admitted having a “secret obsession with poetry”.

“I’ve always loved words, but the way they flow in poetry is as if they speak with many different tongues,” she said. “I prefer to express myself through art rather than sharing with others my raw intimate emotions.”

So what’s next on her to-do list? Travelling the world and experiencing different cultures through cuisine.

“I want to broaden my culinary repertoire and bring unique flavours to share back home in Bermuda,” she said.

“Professionally, my path will not only take me to becoming an executive chef, but I will be a restaurateur owning my own establishment here in Bermuda.

“This plan will have great benefits to the Island through tourism and hospitality, two industries that work hand in hand.”

Miss Williams said she’s given the pageant a lot of time and attention over the past few months. It’s taught her that she’s truly capable of accomplishing her goals, no matter what distractions or opposing forces she comes up against.

She doesn’t know how she’ll react if she’s crowned the competition winner on July 5.

“I expect I’ll feel excited and relieved that all the hard work and dedication to the pageant will have benefited me tremendously,” she said.

“My hope is to intertwine all that I will learn from the pageant and all my life experiences and apply these to our Island.

“My ultimate goal is to bring together a system that will help the younger generation to feel more self-confident, purposeful and thoughtful about their contribution to Bermuda’s future. This can be done by the implementation of workshops and events that create a nurturing space for our young people to develop.”

• Visit www.missbermuda.bm.